In Iceland, during the third week of November, every household receives a book catalog featuring new releases. Catalog in hand, Icelanders prepare for Jolabokaflod, literal translation: “Christmas Book Flood.” On Christmas Eve in Iceland, the sun sets at about 3:30 p.m. Temperatures are usually in the mid-30s F. If the night is clear, the northern lights may shimmer in the sky. Icelanders gather with their families to give and receive books and delicious treats, such as fine chocolates, hot cocoa, or a special beer. Everyone settles in for a night of reading and discussing books while nibbling sweets and sipping beverages. Jolabokaflod, a cherished tradition, began during World War II. At a time when many commodities were rationed, paper wasn’t, so Icelanders, loving literature, bought each other books.
If you’re looking to continue or start a holiday tradition of book giving, the Northland has some charming bookstores.
Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers
Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers is located in the old Federal Building in Superior. Completed in 1908, it once housed a federal courthouse and a post office. Foxes & Fireflies occupies the former post office lobby. Soaring walls of white marble veined with gray wisps surround shelves of books. Expansive windows trimmed in wood and marble keystone arches allow natural light to flood the store. Overhead, magnificently detailed trim highlights the ceiling. Throughout, fox-themed decorations and firefly-esque lights pay homage to the store’s name. It’s magical and inviting.
After 17 years, Superior’s bookstore drought ended on August 31 when Maria Lockwood, along with the help of her husband David and their daughters, opened Foxes & Fireflies. Lockwood’s path to becoming a bookseller is as unique as the space her store occupies. For 25 years, she has worked as a journalist for the Superior Telegram. It’s still her daytime job. In January 2024, she wrote a story about WiSys Venture Home, which has a business startup hub in Superior. To better understand and report on the application process, she applied to their program. Because she’s a voracious reader, she pitched an idea for a bookstore, something she believed Superior needed. She never expected her application to be approved, so she was surprised when a representative called to say they loved her idea.
“I was terrified. I’d never run a business,” Lockwood said. “But I realized how deeply I felt about Superior having a bookstore. I wanted to make it a reality—not just for me, but for the entire community.”
Before making the commitment, Lockwood met with other independent bookstore owners in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. She discovered “the most supportive community” she’d ever met. Her family’s backing, along with “the welcoming spirit of the other bookstore owners,” convinced her to open Foxes & Fireflies.
Lockwood designed her store to have “a library vibe,” creating spaces where people can gather. Stuffed armchairs invite customers to sit and read. Two round wooden tables with chairs encourage them to play chess or checkers, and there are games for children. On Tuesday evenings, she hosts a silent book club. People arrive with a book, introduce themselves and their books, then quietly read. Attached to the store, a conference room is available for groups. It needs to be reserved, but it’s free.
Lockwood is looking forward to her first holiday season. To help shoppers choose the perfect books for family or friends, Midwest Independent Booksellers catalogs will be available in the store. Next year she hopes to mail the catalogs to customers. In addition to new releases and classics, the store carries a large selection of local authors, and a small selection of used books. Customers can buy journals, notecards, stickers, coffee cups, bookmarks, candles, and jewelry. Outdoor enthusiasts will find books on foraging wild foods, state parks, and Lake Superior, plus lots of great fiction set in rural Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry is Lockwood’s favorite holiday story. She says, “It embodies Christmas for me.” The best book she ever received for Christmas was a collection of Elf Quest stories from her husband. An avid reader, she loves fantasy books, and has recently become interested in nonfiction.
After considering other names for her bookstore, Lockwood chose Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers. “I love foxes. They’re a very northern Wisconsin thing,” she said. She also loves the beauty of fireflies. “Seeing a firefly unexpectedly is like finding that perfect book in a store—a moment of joy, of awe.” (foxesfirefliesbooksellers.com)
A 1920s-era red brick building accented with bright sage-colored log siding and white tile diamonds welcomes customers to Back Forty Books, located in Two Harbors. Originally, the space was an addition to a car dealership. Today, an eclectic collection of wooden shelves and antique furniture filled with new and used books and homemade items greets customers. Retro patio chairs offer readers a place to take a book for a spin. A gleaming sheet metal duct runs along the ceiling from the front of the store to the back, as if to say, “Follow me and discover treasures.”
Back Forty Books
Seventeen years ago, when Randy Lancaster and his wife, Katie, who were both crafters, bought the building, it was a craft mall. Over the past 10-plus years as consumer interests changed, it’s morphed into Back Forty Books, although, some craft booths—featuring locally made candles, jewelry, hats, mittens, ceramics, and other items—remain. Katie, a soap maker with 30 years of experience, sells her soaps in the store. She suggested the name Back Forty Books. Her father owned a tree farm, so she knew about the term back forty, which refers to land at the back of a farm. Fitting, because the books were first located in the “back forty” of the store. Now they are everywhere.
New books are showcased in the front of the store. An antique dining table serves up recent releases by Minnesota authors. Nearby shelves offer sections of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, along with books about nature and outdoor adventures. Several volumes of Sigurd F. Olson’s and Helen Hoover’s works are available. Lancaster says that Hoover’s writing has been rediscovered, and both Olson and Hoover are popular with people who love nature and the outdoors. There are nearly two dozen art books on sketching and painting, along with colored pencils, gel pens, crayons, markers, and acrylic and watercolor paints to inspire artists. Lancaster plans to expand the store’s art supplies.
Used books, waiting for a second home, fill the back two-thirds of the store. Who likes to buy used books? Lancaster says, “Some books, like thrillers and mysteries, are so popular that many copies exist, so people don’t always want to buy new ones. Some people look for a title to complete a series, or they find a book they loved when they were young.” In what Lancaster calls, “catch and release,” campers buy used books, usually thrillers or mysteries, to take camping, then after reading them, they pass them on, sometimes selling them back to him.
To help customers with holiday shopping, Lancaster mails the Midwest Independent Booksellers catalog to residents with a Two Harbors zip code. If he doesn’t stock a book, customers can order it through the store. Back Forty carries a selection of holiday- and winter-themed books for children. Lancaster finds that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a perennial favorite, along with Jan Brett’s children’s books, which are beautifully illustrated. Set in a land of snow and icicles, The Littlest Yak and the New Arrival by Lu Fraser has become a new holiday favorite. Lancaster says that parents often look for children’s books they loved when they were young, hoping their children will love them too. Lancaster’s favorite Christmas story is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. He loves its themes of “gratitude and reflection.”
Lancaster enjoys talking to customers about books. He likes history and is currently reading Donald L. Miller’s Masters of the Air, the story of American bombers in World War II. (backfortybooks.com)
Drury Lane Books
A wide set of stairs welcomes people into a small white house accented with lilac-colored shutters, sun-yellow trim, and a cheerful blue door. Inside, white walls, a white ceiling, and white shelves give the feeling of entering a cloud filled with books. Located on the shores of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Drury Lane Books has a front-row seat to the many moods of the lake, perhaps inspiring a person’s choice of book.
Originally built as a family home, the space served as other shops before becoming Drury Lane Books. In 2002, Joan Drury bought the building and opened her eponymous bookstore. Already steeped in the literary world as a writer, an editor, and a publisher, Joan was excited to run a bookstore. She is fondly remembered as a feminist, philanthropist, and strong supporter of women writers. After Joan’s passing in 2020, her children Kelly and Kevin Kager took over the store, which is managed by Gwen Danfelt.
Because space is limited, Danfelt says, “I spend a lot of time curating as wide a variety of books as possible in a small store.” Her attention to literary diversity ensures that among the roughly 5,000 titles available, customers of all ages will find a book to love. The store also carries a large selection of Minnesota and Native American authors.
Drury Lane provides opportunities for community gatherings. Once a month, it hosts the Full Moon Bonfire. As the moon rises over Lake Superior and a fire crackles on the beach, people read their favorite pieces of prose or poetry. Local or regional poets are often featured. Periodically, Author Talks and Author Meet and Greets give people an opportunity to visit with authors. On the third Sunday of each month, the Drury Lane Book Club meets. During the summer on Saturday mornings, co-owner Kevin Kager reads picture books to children on the beach.
To assist customers with their holiday shopping, Drury Lane mails the Midwest Independent Booksellers catalog to all Cook County residents. On the first Friday in December, the owners and staff host the Bookworm Social Hour from 5-7 p.m. Customers eat snacks and shop for gifts, which are wrapped for free. A wide variety of holiday- and winter-themed books are available. Beyond the traditional holiday favorites for children, Danfelt expects some new releases to be popular, such as Alice in a Winter Wonderland by Jan Brett, Christmas at Hogwarts by J. K. Rowling, and A Cozy Winter Day by Eliza Wheeler.
As a child Danfelt liked The Mole Family’s Christmas by Russell Hoban because it “shares the timeless message that Christmas is a season of giving.” Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed was another of her favorites. As an adult Danfelt celebrates the 25 days of Advent with her daughter by reading a different Christmas-themed picture book each day.
Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the store’s collection of books celebrating nature and adventure. At the leisurely pace of one page per day, Backyard Almanac: 365 Days of Northern Nature by Larry Weber teaches people about plants, animals, and insects. In North American Odyssey, Amy and Dave Freeman recount their 12,000-mile, three-year journey across North America by canoe, kayak, and dogsled. In the recently re-released expanded edition of Afloat Again, Adrift, Andrew Keith narrates his experiences canoeing the three major watersheds of North America.
Danfelt and the staff at Drury Lane love to help customers find the right book. (drurylanebooks.com)
By supporting the spirit of community and the joy of reading, these cozy bookstores with their friendly staff, embody the essence of Jolabokaflod. So, grab a book, gather with family or friends, and turn some pages together during the holidays.